The video game niche has expanded tremendously over the decades. From year to year, this sector has undergone greater and greater developments, which have affected the entire world. There is a reason why the community has grown steadily – the best game developers worldwide keep coming up with new titles that amaze fans and turn them into passionate gamers. Well-known companies such as Ubisoft, Activision and CD Project Red have launched countless games.
This proved to be a great success; after all, the sales figures for even the oldest games are still increasing today. But it’s not just the video game sector that has made progress.
Gambling has also evolved incredibly over the past few years. Many online casinos have been opened, and game developers have launched countless novelties in the form of casino games, such as firejoker.se, which are gaining more and more fame.
Casino operators, of course, seize the opportunity and offer exactly these games on their respective platforms – this is the ground characteristic that connects these two areas. But what other similarities are there? We got to the bottom of this question and listed the most relevant findings below.
Gambling as a pioneer in existence
As a matter of fact, gambling has existed longer than video games. After all, it has been carried out for thousands of years, with a history dating back to Ancient Egypt. Since then, gambling has spread around the world, for example, dice and cup games were particularly popular in Great Britain, Ireland and the South American region. Card games were very popular, mainly in America and Europe.
Finally, in 1891, the world’s first slot machine took its place in the gambling world. It was developed in New York by Messrs Sittman and Pitt. Approximately in this time, another slot machine was created in San Francisco. It was called Liberty Bell and was invented by Charles Fey. The typical sidearm we all know from slot machines originated from this device, where it also got the name “one-armed bandit”. After this, the device was so popular that some companies, for example, Jennings, Waiting and Caille brothers, began to produce slot machines on their own.
The first casino existed much longer, though. In Venice, Italy opened the world’s first casino after realising the huge demand for gambling and putting it into practice. The then called “Ridotto” is still considered the pioneer of the world’s casinos. Providers around the world have taken a leaf out of this casino’s book to represent them in their respective countries. We know this evolution, among other things, through the iconic casino city of Las Vegas, which still attracts millions of players to its casinos every year.
Why do we play games?
It is no secret that people feel the urge to be successful. This characteristic is anchored in us and is instinctively triggered when we are faced with a challenge. We are constantly trying to improve ourselves and always move forward. This trait is also found in video games and online casinos. Take, for example, the world-famous game Tekken. From the first Tekken, which was released in 1994, to Tekken 7 (2015), many changes have been made, including new characters, new maps and bosses. This action fighting game offers us the possibility to compete with friends and players from all over the world through the multiplayer function.
It’s not for nothing that there are numerous Tekken tournaments (Frosty Faustings XIV 2022, Festival of Fights 2022, etc.) that offer players across the globe the platform to compete with the best in this game to settle once and for all who is the best fighter in the world and collect big prizes.
After all, one participates in all forms of games in order to win, whether it be casino games, video games or even cybersport. One starts with a small stake and increases depending on the proceeds won. Once you win a larger sum, this triggers euphoria in us, which makes us want to win even more. Losing is therefore not an option in both video games and casino games.
Coincidence plays an important role in both cases
Chance is an ingredient that is indispensable for both casinos and video games. After all, you don’t get anything for free but have to rely on your luck for once. As, for example, in the game Final Fantasy. Also, in this game, there is the so-called “grinding”, which basically means that you have to defeat a lot of monsters to get different materials, which you, in turn, need to make stronger items. Grinding is completely RNG-dependent (Random Number Generator), which in very simple terms determines the random rate. Exactly the same RNG rate exists in casino games, for example, in slots.
Here, no one thinks up the winning numbers on a whim. The random number generator, which is integrated into the games, measures the average percentage value you get paid out after a certain amount of rounds.
Comparable designs and themes in video games and casinos
As it was mentioned above, there are many comparisons between these two areas, especially an Egyptian style that is often applied in both sectors. There are multiple examples of the usage of the same designs. Video games like Assassin’s Creed Origins or Egypt: Old Kingdom include many Egyptian mythology references, symbols and gods. Casino games like Book of Dead, Book of Ra etc., are also designed in this style.
Another example is Norse mythology, for which, on the one hand, there are many casino games based on it. On the other hand, video games, among others, God of War, represent elements of this mythology and corresponding gods too. Thus, the Norse god Thor and Mimir occur, against which you have to compete while you fulfil a certain mission and start your journey against evil. In the design of the slot machines like Wild Nords, Book of Vikings, or Volatile Vikings, Norse mythology is used too.
Sure, you don’t have to compete with Poseidon and Hades, however, while playing casino games, certain events may happen out of nowhere that offer you great benefits, like a lightning strike or an earthquake (for example, in Greek Gods, Zeus Thunder Reels, etc.) that pushes the images together in such a way that you get great winnings as a result! The list is far-reaching and shows that these two areas are not as alienated as one might assume.
Interesting facts
- Blaise Pascal, renowned physician and mathematician, is the actual founder of the roulette board. His passion for numbers encouraged him to display the possibilities of different numbers through random events.
- The racing Video game Burnout Paradise actually advertised Obama’s campaign.
- The world record for the biggest win in an online casino is about 21,15 million euros, which was won by a player from Finland playing Mega Fortune.
Conclusion
All these aspects show that gambling and video games are not so far from each other but rather connected. Besides various games that casinos also showcase, history also shows many aspects of gambling. For instance, as previously mentioned, many gods from different mythological stories appear in both, as well as challenges and RTP usage, which give you advantages and also disadvantages. Just as Kratos goes up against Zeus and other gods from Olympus, be patient and consistent in order to win big prizes.
And just as you obtain a secret weapon out of the blue to defeat the final boss once and for all, casinos also give you the chance to claim big winnings through bonuses and special offers. All these factors make it clear that there are fewer differences and more similarities between video games and casino games.